Trailer dolly



May 3, 1949.

H. P. BROWN TRAILER DOLLY Filed July 10, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I m'eutor HEB w n 2: Q Q 2 5,? mm hw J mm 1 H %M,.

All!) rneys FL P.E3RC)VVPI TRAILER DOLLY May 3, 1949.

Filed July 10, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 111 rental- QM wmv HPfirown A [to rn eys H. P. BROWN May 3, 1949.

TRAILER DOLLY Filed July 10, 1946,

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN I)??? IE: I 1 1 I l lllmlll 1 I WWW!) "kn I 2kg;

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Patented May 3, 1949 WEE DOLLY Howard Payton "Brown, -'Mei;it1ian,iMiss.

eAnnlicationfluiy dfl, 1946,:fSerial 'N0'.-ifi82,649

(cure-@144) "37 *Glaims. 1

This invention ;-rela'tes "to 1d IIOVGI gconstruction ,ofidclly :or truckespecially adapted for nse in'sun porting "the forward end-of "a trailer, and-which is especially lintended for .use .in .snpponting the forward end of a house trailer.

(More particularly, his ran wobiecthf the present inventionto :provide a dolly which is especially constructed .,-and arranged to be attached to the .frame or ."chassis .at the :forward end of ca -rhouse traileriand which includes a pair of groundenrgaging ,vpneumatic tiredwheelsgyieldablymounted -loy the .dollyy rel atively ,to the {trailer 1 for v'cushi'onling road shocks which would normally be transmitted to the ior-war'd end thereof.

Ar'further object of "the invention isito pnoyide a for raising and lowering isaid ground to adapt the (dolly to trailer lnf'ldifierent heights and toena'lblelevelingof the trailereafter attachment Qof the dolly thereto.

Numerous other objects ramusedvantages oof the invention will hereinafter {become snore -.-f11-11y- !p' parent from the iollowing description-of sthe drawings, which villustrate e 'pr'efierred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 .isa top ,plan-yiew illustrating -.:a 313.1%

ferred embodiment-of the trailer -:dolly shown 7 applied tov the ,forward part 0t thevitrameaor-vehassis of 2. trailer;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional .viewthereof taken substantially alonge 315131 1612855 indicated by the line 2-12 of vllliignre l .Figure 3 randrvFigure r-are horizontal sectional views taken substantially alon Manes indicated by the lines;3--3 and 4-4:, respeotive ly df Figurez;

.Eigure r5 a transverse vertical :sectional wiew taken substantially along;.(planes ;.as \indicatedslsy theolines 15-75 ofgFigures :1 handy-2, and

Figure Bis aifragmentaryyplanmiewohanother form of the upper hingeqplate.

Referring more specifically to the drawings;:- the trailer dolly in its entirety-isdesignatedsgenemlly Jil and includes an elongated plate or platform M which is preferablysiormediof :metaleanda Ofzfiflfficientystrengbh to sustain the-weight of :enrenid 10f atrailer. The plate eer platform A4 is provided r Eseen ineFi ur-es' 1 tand i-2wthe ;;plete it I withmorresponding converging ends :lhhavin channel 'lshaped :end "are arranged to -.open ,in-

wardlyeand ;-are disposed 2 in liorwandly L oxmerg ing relationship, as clearly illustrated in .rFix u-ne -,,1.

Llhegplateor platform ll .zismrovided with a mlu- .:r-ality-oi brackets J5, v+2. plurality of which-Bane located "adjacent each end thereof :and en the upper side oirthe plate. .Thebraekets rlfizanexeach detachdbly ftastened at their inner midst-by la v.fastening- L6 to the plate :3 :ene mrovided with jupw'ardlysoff set outer which -1oszer-,the dipper sides #Qf thed ower flanges .io'f :zthe achannelqbeams M and which ;..are retained a-in clamping engagement therewith laywthetastening A5. The pbrackets l5 provide -v-the;'SO1e:m,eanSQf attaching the dolly ill to the trailer I-freme tor and it :will thereiore be teadily-apparent that the-dollylmay' be vquickly v anplied orremoved .end :will Lobe refieetivelyrretained by.. the;hrackets d5 .sn'dfianges ll3 iin engagement Withthebeams ,M. upper Lhinge plate 4 F! is disposed i'beneath the ieentral po'rtion vhi the plate :or ,rplatform 2| 1 and isrprovided lwithvflanuupwardlyi extending :king bolt 4&8. which tie-suitably fixed thereto aszaby and which extends through and is .-j.ourna'led in a substantiallylcentrallyldisposed opening tal-oi :the plate Ll endan lanti-jirictionheaning v 211 which is disposed on the upper side ofuthe plate 1L1.

upper :end of the kin rbolt 2L8 threaded to receive gamut 12 I @andv-a clock nutszz which aareldisposed-cathode the hearinglflend by :means-o-fwhioh the upper-H hinge p] ate .l.Ibis-detachablyretainedain engagement with (the :pl-atform or plate cl 1|. .best :seen in -Eigune 3,,12118 upper hinge ;.plate A] .-is-qisubstanti-ally1 disksshaped rand i-SBIJIOJ/iddd "with .agpln'ra'lity -ojf axles aorvgshafits .23 each iOf --mhich ,is welded :or otherwise :suitably secured thereto, ;Las indicated atzzd. {Ihe axles onshaifsts 23 same. each provided with an outer-endzwhich pr-oi sets-beyond the vlper iplzlery of-the =disk+or plate A] and .on each of; saidgrexposed endsazroller Z5 is journaleel. The tonteraends ofetheraxles-or'ishatts 23 areflared,:-as "indicated at 1216 n Elgar-e :to ':retain the sellers :25 in rotatable enga edlent:tl iere-with. As'ebest glp rovided with upstanding ifia-nges i --w-hieh:-a1te -;:dis p,osed around the upper portion of the king pintlflnhearing in :a-ndthenutsIZ handZZ tozformanienelcsure 7 mar giroteetin said ;parts.

ilbe upper lhlngerplete Id :is111m!wided-with 3 depending apertured lugs 28 located adjacent the forward part thereof and which are disposed in spaced apart, transverse alignment to form hinge barrels for receiving a hinge pin 29 which is connected to laterally spaced extensions or lugs 30, forming one end of the lower hinge plate 31. The lugs 30 are preferably rigidly connected as by welding at 32 to spaced portions of the hinge pin 29, between and on the outersides of the hinge barrels 28 and said lugs 30 are disposed in substantially the same plane as the remainder of the lower hinge plate 3|.

The hinge plate 3| is provided with a plurality of openings to receive nut and bolt fastenings 33 which extend through the inner ends of a pair of leaf springs 34 which are thus detachably secured to the underside of the hinge plate 3!. The leaf springs 34 are arcuate in shape and extend rearwardly and downwardly relatively to the hinge plate 3! and are provided with eyes .35 in their lower, free ends to receive an axle 36 which is detachably keyed t the eyes 35 by set screws'31. As best seen in Figure 1, the leaf springs 34 are disposed in laterally spaced apart relationship and the axle 35 extends through the eyes 35 thereof and therebeyond and a ground engaging wheel 38, provided with a pneumatic tire, is journaled on each end of the axle 36. The lower hinge plate 3| is provided with apair of lugs 39 which project laterally from the side edges thereof, and adjacent its free end, as best seen in Figure 4. The lugs 39 have portions which project above the upper surface of the hinge plate 3| and said hinge plate is also provided with an upstanding portion 40 at its free end and intermediate of its side edges. The'lugs 39 and the portion 40 are provided with threaded bores M for receiving bolts 62, the threaded shanks of which extend upwardly therethrough to function as set screws by engagement with the under side of the upper hinge plate l'l.

Assuming that the trailer dolly Iii is fastened to the frame beams 14 by the brackets l5, as previously described, it will be readily apparent that the front end of a trailer, not shown, beneath which the dolly or truck i9 is disposed will be supported thereby and that the leaf springs 34 will resiliently support the forward end of the trailer. To adapt the dolly or truck ID to trailers already in use, the hinge construction l'l, 3| is provided and it will be obvious that by adjusting the bolts ,2 that the lower hinge plate 3! can be moved toward or away from the upper hinge plate ll to vary the height of the forward end of the trailer, supported thereby, to thereby level trailers having different size rear wheels. The swivel connection between the hinge structures ll, 3| and the plate or platform I l, which is rigidly secured to the trailer frame beams i l, will permit the wheels 38 and their supports to swivel freely relatively to the front end of the trailer frame to facilitate the sharp turning of 'the trailer and the backing thereof, when attached to a draft vehicle, due to the fact that the pair of wheels 38 may be revolved beneath the frame beams M in the same manner as a caster. Further, the king bolt IS with its anti-friction bearing 20 and the rollers 25, which engage the underside of the plate II, will enable the hinge structures ll, 3i to revolve freely relatively to the plate I l, regardless of the weight supported by the wheels 38 and springs 34.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit. and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a trailer dolly or truck, a base plate adapted to be secured to a trailer frame or chassis, a spring support formed of swingably connected hinge sections, one of the hinge sections being secured to said base plate and disposed therebeneath, a leaf spring secured at one end to the other hinge section and projecting outwardly and downwardly therefrom, said last mentioned hinge section being disposed beneath the first mentioned hinge section, an axle keyed to the opposite, free end of said spring and adapted to journal 2. ground engaging wheel thereon.

2. A dolly or truck as in claim 1, and means for angularly adjusting the lower hinge section relatively to the base plate for raising or lowering the chassis frame relatively to the ground wheel.

3. A dolly or truck as in claim 1, said spring support being swivelly mounted relatively to the base plate, and means for angularly adjusting the lower hinge section relatively to the base plate for raising or lowering the chassis frame relatively to the ground wheel.

4. In a trailer dolly or truck, a base plate adapted to be detachably secured to atrailer frame, a spring support disposed beneath and connected to the base plate, a pair of leaf springs secured to the spring support and projecting outwardly and downwardly therefrom, an axle keyed to the free ends of said springs and adapted to journal a ground engaging wheel thereon, said spring support comprising a leaf hinge including an upper hinge leaf or plate connected to the base plate and a lower hinge leaf or plate connected to said spring, and means for adjustably spacing the hinge plates for varying the elevation of the trailer frame relatively to the ground wheel.

5. In a trailer dolly or truck, a base plate adapted to be detachably secured to a trailer frame, a spring support disposed beneath and connected to the base plate, a pair of leaf springs secured to the spring support and projecting outwardly and downwardly therefrom, an axle keyed to the free ends of said springs and adapted to journal at ground engaging wheel thereon, said spring support being swivelly connected to the base plate and being provided with rollers or wheels for hearing engagement with the under side of the base plate tofacilitate the swivel movement of the spring support relatively thereto.

6. In a trailer dolly or truck, a base plate adapted to be detachably secured to a trailer frame, a spring support disposed beneath and connected to the base plate, a pair of leaf springs secured to the spring support and projecting outwardly and downwardly therefrom, an axle keyed to the free ends of said springs and adapted to journal a ground engaging wheel thereon, said spring supportcomprising a leaf hinge including an upper hinge leaf or plate connected to the base plate and a lower hinge leaf or plate connected to said spring, and means for adjustably spacing the hinge plates for varying the elevation of the trailer frame relatively to the ground wheel, the hinge pin of said hinge leaves or plates being downwardly off-set relatively to the upper hinge plate for spacing the lower hinge plate therefrom.

7. In a trailer dolly or truck, a base .plate adapted to be detachably secured to a trailer frame, a spring support disposed beneath and connected to the base plate, a pair of leaf springs secured. to the spring support and projecting outwardly and downwardly therefrom, an axle keyed to the free ends of said springs and adapted to journal a ground engaging Wheel thereon, said spring support comprising a leaf hinge including an upper hinge leaf or plate connected to the base plate and a lower hinge leaf or plate connected to said spring, and means for adjustably spacing the hinge plates for varying the elevatlon of the trailer frame relatively to the ground wheel, said spring support being swivelly con nected to the base plate and being provided with rollers or Wheels for bearing engagement with the under side of the base plate to facilitate the swivel movement of the spring support relatively thereto.

HOWARD PAY'ION BRGWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following eferences of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED .SIA'TES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 18,467 Deisler May 17, 1932 539,080 OrdWay May i l, 1895 634,974 Baker Oct. 17, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 450,893 Great Britain July 27, 1936 

